Pillar Boxes on tv.

[Jamespic1118]

I've had my tv for a few months, it's been hooked the COX HDDVR reciever with the component cables it came with. The other day my brother hooked up a HDMI cable to it. The HD channels came it a lot better, but when I put the channel on a SD channel (espn or something) the black bars on the side of the TV come up. So I put the component cables back and now it's the same problem.....any way to fix this?

Thanks in advance.

[Brain Sturgeon]

Originally Posted by Jamespic1118

I've had my tv for a few months, it's been hooked the COX HDDVR reciever with the component cables it came with. The other day my brother hooked up a HDMI cable to it. The HD channels came it a lot better, but when I put the channel on a SD channel (espn or something) the black bars on the side of the TV come up. So I put the component cables back and now it's the same problem.....any way to fix this?

Thanks in advance.

Well, the aspect ratio of your HDTV is 16:9, and a lot of SD programming is in 4:3 so those programs will be pillarboxed on your TV-- you can't technically "fix" this. This will happen whether you use HDMI or component. You could use your TV's aspect modes (something like "wide" or "stretch") to fill the screen with 4:3 material, but then everything will be 33% wider than it should be. Otherwise, just live with the pillarbox-- they are completely normal.

[Jamespic1118]

well that sucks...why wouldn't they have been there before?

[UFAlien]

The initial setup with the component cables was probably stretched.

[Red Hood]

Originally Posted by Jamespic1118

well that sucks...why wouldn't they have been there before?

On the direct tv receiver you can choose a stretch mode. Maybe your receiver has that.

[aramis109]

Originally Posted by Pyre

On the direct tv receiver you can choose a stretch mode. Maybe your receiver has that.

Or the television. My family actually prefers SD TV to fill the screen, so hell, I stretch it. Movies stay untouched though.

[Jamespic1118]

I tried to stretch it back....no way to change that. But I guess I can live with it. Maybe I should just buy more Blu's and not have to worry about it.

Thanks everybody for the help!!

[aramis109]

Originally Posted by Jamespic1118

I tried to stretch it back....no way to change that. But I guess I can live with it. Maybe I should just buy more Blu's and not have to worry about it.

Thanks everybody for the help!!

There should be a setting to change the aspect ratio of SD content. You'll more than likely need to be on an SD channel to change it. Won't be able to do much (if any) changing of HD content though typically.

I know some folks are going to see my stretching post and cringe, but in the end it's what makes you and yours happy. For me, I don't care about TV, but movies are a different matter.